


Midnight Exhaustion

by IndigoDream



Category: Wiedźmin | The Witcher - All Media Types
Genre: Comfort, Established Relationship, Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia Loves Jaskier | Dandelion, Jaskier | Dandelion Loves Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia, M/M, Sleepy Cuddles, Soft Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-11
Updated: 2021-03-11
Packaged: 2021-03-18 15:01:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,233
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29984622
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IndigoDream/pseuds/IndigoDream
Summary: Geralt is exhausted after a long hunt, and comes back to Jaskier, who insists on taking care of him. The bard hadn't been expected his witcher to be so intent on cuddling, although he does love it.
Relationships: Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia/Jaskier | Dandelion
Comments: 14
Kudos: 228





	Midnight Exhaustion

**Author's Note:**

> This is for Terra, happy birthday dear!! Hope you enjoy the fic <3

The world is always softer at midnight. It is a truth that Jaskier has acknowledged many times, long before there was anything that had proved him right. He has always loved the night, yes, but there is something truly magical about midnight in particular. 

An owl hoots in the distance, and Jaskier looks to the side, trying to locate the source of the noise. He gives up quickly enough, returning to the head on his lap. Geralt’s eyes are opening slowly, grogginess wrapped around him, and his hand tightens on Jaskier’s thigh. 

“It was just an owl,” Jaskier murmurs, his hand returning to Geralt’s silken hair. “Nothing to fret about.” 

“How long have I been asleep?” Geralt’s voice is barely a whisper, his exhaustion still seeping through his words. 

The witcher had gone on a hunt for three days, and Jaskier had waited at their campsite, patient and worried. When Geralt had stumbled back, his skin had thrummed with high toxicity from his potions, but mostly with an exhaustion Jaskier knew meant the witcher hadn’t slept during this time. 

“Not long enough,” Jaskier answers. His fingers smooth over Geralt’s brow, and the witcher hums. “You should go back to sleep, my darling.” 

“Don’t wanna,” the witcher answers, his hand moving to tangle his fingers with Jaskier’s. “Missed you.” 

Jaskier’s heart seizes with affection, and he lifts Geralt’s hand, placing a delicate kiss there. “I missed you too, Geralt. But you need to rest. It’s only been a few hours since sunset, and you have to sleep…” 

“You need to sleep too.” 

Rolling his eyes, Jaskier lets his free hand wander up and down Geralt’s arm. His witcher is warm, as he nearly always is, and despite the cool autumn air, the bard feels perfectly warm as well. It’s something about the mutagens he had been given during his trials, Geralt had explained. It had made his body more resistant to basically everything that could harm a human, which meant Jaskier didn’t have to worry about his lover catching a cold or anything like this. 

What he did worry about however, was his stubborn witcher refusing to sleep. Instead, Geralt was looking up at him, examining him with his beautiful golden eyes. Sometimes, it felt like his soul was naked to Geralt when the witcher examined him like this. 

“You’re beautiful,” Geralt said, voice a bit louder than before. He blinked slowly, his eyes never leaving Jaskier’s face. 

Melitele help him, Jaskier wasn’t going to survive this soft, tender Geralt. Each time moments like this happened, Jaskier’s heart threatened to fly out of his chest, to land into Geralt’s hands and demand to be cherished and adored. It wasn’t fair of Jaskier to demand such a thing, of course, so he didn’t. Geralt and him were… something. Lovers, free with their affection towards one another… Caring and loving, without ever saying the words. They burned Jaskier’s tongue every morning, when Geralt roused him from sleep with a gentle jostle, every evening when Geralt rolled his eyes as Jaskier sang alongside his chores. 

“And you’re exhausted,” Jaskier finally answers “Won’t you sleep some more?” 

“Wanna sleep with you.” Geralt tugs on Jaskier’s hand, not enough to force him forward, but enough to make him look back. “S’better to sleep with you.” 

“I’m right here, not about to move anytime soon.” 

Geralt rolls his eyes, something similar to a pout blooming on his face. It was truly a delight, Jaskier decided, to see Geralt this way. Although he would have preferred it to happen when Geralt was not so exhausted blinking seemed like a chore, Jaskier was not about to say no to a gift like that. He let his thumb rub over Geralt’s skin, enjoying the feeling of soft skin underneath his. 

“You know what I mean.” 

“I do, but I like having you in my lap. You look very comfortable too.” 

One second Jaskier is looking fondly down, the next he has been tugged forcefully onto the ground. Dry leaves stick to him as Geralt settles once more against him, this time with his head nestled against Jaskier’s neck. 

“Geralt!” 

The witcher hums again. The sound reverberates through Jaskier, a light tremble that manages to make him softer, which shouldn’t be possible. 

“We are on the ground, Geralt.” 

“Hmm. We are sleeping.” 

“We have cots!” 

“You didn’t want to lay down with me. Now you don’t have a choice.” He looks up, his lips brushing against Jaskier’s jaw. “I just want to be with you.” 

Jaskier sighs heavily, although it is more for the form than anything. Geralt is too damn sweet tonight, making Jaskier want to say those simple words he has been refraining from saying for weeks now. After all, if he said them, maybe Geralt wouldn’t remember. He is exhausted, and— no. Jaskier won’t say it like a coward, when there is a chance Geralt won’t remember. 

“I do want to lay down with you. I just didn’t want to disturb you, you looked so peaceful. Though I guess that it’s a moot point now.” 

Geralt grins against Jaskier’s shoulder. “Yes, it is.” 

“You’re a fine bastard, you know that? Come on, up you go. We can at least lay in our cots, like proper adults instead of children rolling around in the forest.” 

With another hum and the enticement of Jaskier rolling away, Geralt stands up, blinking rapidly in the low light of the dying fire. He grabs Jaskier’s hand and trails after the bard, letting him lead him back to their cots, and sits down when Jaskier asks him to. 

“Really, Geralt, look at your hair now. I have to clean it before we can sleep, it’s full of twigs and leaves! Such a shame, darling.” 

“It was already dirty anyway.” 

“No it wasn’t! Or well. Less than sometimes. I had gotten all the disgusting bits out. Now I have to start again.” 

“Can’t it wait till the morning?” Geralt turns around, nuzzling at Jaskier’s neck and dropping a light kiss there. “Come sleep.” 

As always, Geralt’s kiss makes him shiver, and Jaskier lets his eyes close for a second as Geralt kisses his throat again. The featherlight touch feels wonderful, and despite his intention to clean Geralt’s hair, resting with his witcher does sound awfully tempting. 

“Fine,” Jaskier ends up agreeing. “But I don’t want to hear you complain in the morning that your hair is a mess.” 

Geralt rumbles out a laugh, tugging the bard down in his arms again. This time, he kisses him, slow and deep, and Jaskier melts in his arms. There is something akin to wonder each time their lips meet, as if Geralt cannot quite believe it. 

“Alright, enough of that you charmer. Off to sleep for you.” 

Geralt nods, letting Jaskier settle comfortably next to him. When that is done, he nestles closer once more, intertwining legs and hand with Jaskier, his breath tickling the bard’s neck ever so slightly. 

“Goodnight Jask. Love you.” 

That said, Geralt falls asleep once more, unaware of his companion’s sudden jolt of surprise. Jaskier runs the words in his mind over and over, trying to decipher if Geralt really meant them. 

Tiredness does catch up with him though, and he resolves to put the matter at rest in the morning. Seems like he will have his opportunity to say those words sooner than he thought. 


End file.
